


Becoming Friends

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-02-28
Updated: 2006-02-28
Packaged: 2018-08-15 17:52:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8067025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: How Archer and Tucker met. Includes Archer/f. (09/13/2003)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: I do not know the history of how Archer and Trip met, so I'm making it up. I've also made up Trip's family and such, just so you know this story is not cannon in the slightest.  


* * *

"What are you doing Charlie?" Montgomery Tucker asked his son. He'd found him in the barn, sitting on the hay.

Trip looked up and smiled at his father. "Just tinkering with this old computer."

"Where on earth did you find that?" Montgomery asked, amazed. "Those were antiques when my dad was a boy."

Trip's smile brightened. "Mister West found it in his attic. He said that he knew that I love to work on these old things."

Montgomery admired his son's handy work. After a quiet pause he said, "Come on Charlie, there's someone you should meet."

Trip stood up. He was tall for his age of fifteen. His soft brown hair and deep brown eyes made the girls swoon, a fact Trip knew, but pretended that he didn't.

As he walked into his house he could hear chattering. The first voice was his mom's, a soft, clear voice. The same voice that soothed him when he was sick, and quietly told of disappointment when he'd done wrong. The second was his sister's voice. Trip didn't know she was planning on coming home. It wasn't a holiday or anything. He shrugged. It would be good to see her anyway.

He stopped at the doorway when he saw where the third voice was coming from. It was a man, early thirties, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was smiling and laughing. He looked at ease, and that made Trip uncomfortable. This was a man he'd never met, and yet he looked comfortable in his house. And he was standing close to Sara. Too close.

"Charlie, you need to wash up for dinner." Rachel Tucker said, looking at her son's dirty hands. "What have you been doing?"

"He's been working on an old computer. I swear Rachel, this boy is going to be an engineer." Montgomery proudly boasted. The pride that pulsated through him was intoxicating. Trip couldn't help but smile.

Sara looked at him and a soft smile spread across her face. She was twelve years older then him, and sometimes she felt like more of a mother then a sister. Her soft blond hair flew behind her as she rushed to him and hugged him. Trip fell into her hug, not ashamed to show his love of her. She had deep blue eyes, almost purple. Trip loved seeing those eyes shine with pride for him. They were his mother's eyes. He could remember one time when those eyes showed more hurt then Trip could bear for them to have. He'd gotten caught stealing an old computer mouse from the antique dealer when he was twelve. He'd been chastised, but that wasn't anything compared to the disappointment and hurt in his family's eyes. He'd vowed to never do anything to bring pain to them again.

When Sara let him go she stepped back and stood next to the man. She smiled up at him. Trip began to feel dizzy. He knew what was coming. But he didn't know why he didn't want to hear it. Why he was more upset then happy. Or why he hated this man, without even knowing his name.

Sara began to speak, her voice as clean and clear as their mother's. "Charlie, I'd like you to meet my fiance, Jonathan Archer."

Trip was drying the dinner dishes when Sara walked in handing him a glass. He quietly took it from her and dropped it in the soapy water. After she watched him for a minute she sighed. He looked up at her. "What?"

"You've been quiet all night. That's not like you."

"I have a lot of things on my mind." He lied. Just one thing.

She took the towel away from him. "You don't like him, do you?" She asked, drying so he could wash more dishes.

"I don't know him." Trip answered.

"I know you. You don't like him."

Now it was Trip's turn to sigh. "I don't know why. I just don't. He seems nice enough." He shrugged.

"He is nice Charlie. He's funny, and sweet. And romantic." Sara smiled sweetly.  
Trip couldn't help but smile at her. "You really do love him, don't you?"

She looked at Trip again. "Yes, I do."

Trip nodded. "Then I'll give him a chance."

"That's all I ask." She handed the towel back to him. "You can start tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

"Dad's offered you to show him around while Mom and I go dress shopping."

"Sara..." Trip sighed. "Fine. After breakfast." When Sara left the kitchen Trip stared out the window. He didn't want to spend any time alone with this man. There was something about him that didn't sit well with him. Maybe if he could figure it out tomorrow, he'd save Sara from making a huge mistake. Yeah, he'd put on a show, get close to him, and figure out what it was that he didn't like.

"I know you don't like me." Jon said when the two set off on their walk.

There goes getting close to him. "What makes you think that?"

"The fact that you're walking three feet in front of me, for one."

Trip stopped. He let Jon catch up to him. "I'll show you the antique shop first."

"The same one you stole from?" Jon asked.

Trip stared at him. "That was three years ago, and Sara had no business telling you about that." If Jon wanted him to like him, he wasn't doing a good job of convincing him.

"Look Charlie-"

"Trip. Only my family calls me Charlie." Trip stated.

"Ok, Trip, listen, I want to be your friend." Jon said.

Trip hated him even more for looking so sincere. "You're a bit old to be my friend."

Jon smiled. "Perhaps, but I think you're more mature then you're acting right now."

Trip began to walk off. He heard Jon follow him, and seconds later he was at his side. When they entered the shop George Jenkins smiled at them. "Good morning Trip. Who's your friend?"

Trip looked back at Jon. "He's Sara's friend."

"Ah! You must be her fiance. Glad to meet you. I'm George Jenkins."

"Jon Archer." Jon shook his hand with a smile.

"Are you looking for anything impaticular?" George asked.

"Well, since we're here, I told Sara I'd find her `something old'. For the wedding."

George smiled. "I think I know exactly what she'd like. She's wanted it since she was a kid. I bet she's forgotten all about it. I had a couple buy it, years back. But they've since sold it back to me." George went behind the counter and produced a small box. He opened it and inside was a tiny ring, big enough for a pinkie. It was a silver Claddaugh. Jon sighed when he saw it.

Trip was standing next to him. "I remember when she saw that and begged Mom and Dad to buy it for her."

"It's beautiful. Does it mean anything?" Jon asked.

"The hands mean friendship, the crown loyalty, and the heart love. When worn with the heart facing the world, it means she is free, when worn with the heart facing her, it means she is taken." George said.

"I'll take it." Jon said.

Trip sighed inwardly. Sara was going to exclaim when she saw it, declare that she loves Jon even more, and then Trip would not be able to do anything to talk her out of this marriage.

That night Trip watched Sara and Jon through his bedroom window. They were sitting on the porch swing. It was a clear August night in the South. When Jon reached into his pocket Trip closed his curtains. He turned his radio on and settled into bed. The next morning he was to feed the animals. Of course, Jon offered to help. Before he could refuse the help, his father agreed that Trip could use it. Trip sighed before closing his eyes. The wedding was a week away. How could she get engaged to Jon and plan the wedding so soon, without having him meet her family earlier? They didn't have time to object with any real logical reason. Ha, Logic. That was something Sara needed. Something to tell her she was rushing into things. Trip decided to try to talk Jon out of the marriage. Perhaps he'd be the easier one to sway.

"Go get Spice and Pumpkin saddled up Charlie." Sara said the next afternoon.

"We going for a ride?" Trip asked, hopeful. He and Sara used to go on rides every weekend before she moved out. He missed those rides.

"If you want to." She smiled at him.

He smiled back, then dashed to the barn to saddle up their horses. A few minutes later Sara and Jon walked to the barn. "He's not going, is he?" Trip asked.

Jon shook his head. "Just you and Sara."

Trip finished tightening Spice's saddle, then helped Sara up on him. After he'd climbed up on Pumpkin, Sara bent down to kiss Jon bye. "We'll be back after dark." She said. She looked at Trip. "Thought we'd ride to the river and watch the sun go down."

"Sounds great to me." He nodded. He led the way out of the barn.

"I'll be here." Jon said after Sara. She waved to him.

"Charlie, promise me you'll give him a chance." Sara said, as they waited for the sunset.

Trip looked over at her. "I have. He just doesn't sit well with me." She looked worried. "Maybe...maybe I just don't like the idea of you getting married. Of you leaving us for good."

She looked at him. "I would never leave you. You're my family."

"You hardly visit us now. What about when you have your own family?"

"I'll probably visit more often then, to show off my kids." She smiled. "Listen Charlie, I love you. I'm not going to just stop visiting. I promise. I'll always be around when you need me."

Trip nodded. "Just make sure that you don't forget about us." He turned back to watch the sky. The sun had started to set. The clouds were painted a brilliant orange, pink, and purple. Theyblended perfectly. Trip sighed contentment. He loved watching the sunset on his horse. He hadn't done it in a few months, and he missed it. It always gave him a renewed spirit. Reminded him that in the chaos of life, some things never changed. He could always rely on the sun to rise and fall.

They turned to go back to the barn. "Wanna race?" Sara asked.

Trip looked at her. They'd gone this way so many times, that even if the humans didn't know how to get home, the animals did. "On the count of three."

"One." Sara said, gripping her legs closer to Spice. The horse prepared for the race. "Two." She smiled, her adrenaline pumping. "Three!" She shouted.

Both horses rushed to a run, then a gallop. They slowed a little at the river. It was a steep hill and going down was tricky. Sara lost some of her nerve and slowed Spice down, while Trip zoomed back up the other side of the hill.

He didn't look back, because looking back would slow him down. She'd won most of their races in the past, and he was in the lead. He intended to keep it. He didn't even slow down when he heard the scream. Only when he realized that the scream came from Sara, and that she wasn't right behind him did he turn his head. Spice came galloping next to him, riderless. Trip cried out, then quickly turned Pumpkin around. Spice went on to the stables, not having a rider to tell him what to do. At the river Trip jumped off Pumpkin. He dug in his sidepocket and found the flashlight they always kept there. He ran into the water, searching it for Sara. His light finally found her to the right of him. He rushed to her. She was hurt, severely. He couldn't even tell if she was breathing.

"HELP!" He cried out. "HELP!" He said more frantically. After a few moments and no sign of help, he jumped back on Pumpkin and rushed her back to the house.

The funeral was quiet and somber. It was a small gathering, just family and a few close friends. Jon sat with the family. Afterwards, Rachel accepted the food the callers brought. Montgomery greeted them and thanked them for coming. Jon sat on the couch, staring at the ground. He hadn't spoken all day, hadn't eaten. Everyone was worried about him. But, who worried them the most was Trip.

He didn't go to the funeral. He couldn't. He couldn't see her, motionless, in a coffin. He couldn't listen to the eulogies about her. About how wonderful she was, how kind. He knew those things already. The world had lost a woman who could have made it better. Whose very presence made it better. No, he couldn't see his sister, normally full of life, stiff in a coffin. He sent some daisies with his mother. They were her favorite flowers. She would have liked that.

He was in the barn, sitting on the hay, alone. He recalled everything from that night. Their ride, their talk. Her promise to always be there for him. He wasn't so childish as to get mad at her for lying to him. She didn't know she'd die that very night. He also recalled the frantic look in his father's eyes, the soft scream of panic from his mother. The look on Jon's face, like his whole world had crashed. Like he had nothing to live for now. Trip couldn't blame him. Jon loved Sara, that much Trip knew. Trip did not envy Jon.

Trip recalled being the strength of the family when the doctor declared Sara dead. Her neck broke after she fell. Trip couldn't break down like he wanted to. He had to comfort his father and mother. And try to comfort Jon, though nothing he said helped. Trip couldn't cry like he needed to. Someone had to be strong, and his parents were not. He had to guide them to make the funeral arrangements. He had to call his relatives and close friends. Only when he was alone in his room did he let himself grieve. And even that was short. He loved his sister, but he had to go on. To prove to his family that life could continue without Sara. It would not be as happy, but it would go on. The sun would continue to shine.

Then, after the funeral, when they started to get callers, he couldn't stand to be around them. His parents didn't need him. They had their family and friends to support them. So Trip escaped to the barn. He sat on the hay and looked out at the fields. The birds flew around like nothing had happened. They didn't know that someone great had just died. Trip wished he could be like that. Go through life not knowing when the world lost an extraordinary person.

Trip jumped when he saw Jon from the corner of his eye. "It was too stuffy in there." Jon said quietly.

Trip scooted over on the hay to let Jon sit down. He studied him for a few moments. He looked stiff, less comfortable. Trip realized that Sara made him comfortable. Sara made everyone comfortable. Jon picked at a single piece of hay. He stared at the hay, his eyes not wandering. "I'm sorry Jon." Trip said.

Jon looked up at him. "I'm sorry for your loss too."

"I'm sorry for not giving you a chance before. I was being selfish."

Jon waved his hand. "It all seems petty now, doesn't it?"

Trip looked over at the horses. Pumpkin was alone in the stables. He remembered the sound the gun made when his father shot Spice. He'd covered his ears and tried to block it out. It wasn't the horse's fault he lost his footing. They shouldn't have been racing in the dark. But, Trip understood why his father felt it was necessary. It was a form of closure for him. "Want to start over?"

Jon nodded. He stuck out his hand. "Friends?"

Trip shook his hand. "Friends."


End file.
